Discover Fort Sumter in Charleston Harbor

Built on a man-made island by the Army Corps of Engineers shortly after the island’s completion in 1826, Fort Sumter is one of Charleston’s most famous historic sites. Located 3.5 miles from the city at the mouth of the Atlantic Ocean, the fort was originally constructed after the War of 1812 as part of the Eastern Coastal Defense Program to protect the eastern seaboard. 

The brick fort is five-sided, measuring 170 to 190 feet (52 to 58 m) in length, with walls five feet (1.5 m) thick, and stood 50 feet (15.2 m) above the low tide mark. Although it was never fully completed, it was designed to accommodate 650 men and 135 guns in three tiers of gun emplacements. Today, Fort Sumter stands roughly 25 feet tall, with two of its gun tiers lost to battle. 

Tens of thousands of visitors each year make the trip to Fort Sumter, often dedicating a significant amount of time from their Charleston visit. Daily tours depart from both the Charleston and Mount Pleasant sides, with the ferry ride to the island taking approximately one hour each way. Guests spend an additional hour on the island before returning by ferry

While there is a variety of Civil War-era armament to see, the fort’s centerpiece is a small museum and an even smaller gift shop. The ferry is equipped with a snack bar, restrooms and trash cans, but there are none of those things available on the fort itself.

Obviously Fort Sumter is of interest to the Civil War buff – and we’re not saying it isn’t worth visiting – only that if you have a tight schedule there may be better ways to spend your time here in Charleston. If you want to see where the Civil war actually started go to Fort Johnson.